Flood damage lawsuit names Addison, Bensenville, Wood Dale

A national insurance company has filed a lawsuit against DuPage County, 29 of its municipalities – including Addison, Bensenville and Wood Dale – and several neighboring counties, alleging they failed to take necessary steps to prevent and limit damage from the flooding of April 2013.

Addison Village Manager Joseph Block said Addison has not yet been served with the lawsuit.

Illinois Farmers Insurance Company and its subsidiaries filed a proposed class action lawsuit April 17 on behalf of itself, other insurance companies and all those affected by what the suit calls “reasonably manageable” rains April 17 and 18, 2013.

In some areas of DuPage County, the total rainfall was more than 7 inches during that time, according to the National Weather Service.

Had the various defendants properly prepared for the event and done their “duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain (their) property in a reasonably safe condition,” as stated in Illinois Statute, the suit alleges the damage would not have been so great.

“Based upon prior sewer water invasions, this Defendant knew that members of the Plaintiff Class would be forseeably injured by breaches of these statutory duties,” the suit states.

Farmers said in the suit that the flooding, which caused Gov. Pat Quinn to declare 48 counties disaster areas, could have been mitigated by better management of retention and detention basins, proper operation of tributary open and enclosed sewers and drains, and the erection of proper barriers.

The lawsuit alleges the counties and municipalities were aware of this, based on prior flooding and studies.

However, residents were subjected to “sudden, dangerous and calamitous occurrences” that were so climactic that “elderly men and women and young children were forced to evacuate parts or all of their homes because of safety concerns.”

Similar suits were filed in Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and LaSalle counties on the same day, according to documents provided by Farmers officials.

Paul Darrah, spokesperson for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, said the county was aware of the suit but hadn’t been served yet. The office is the entity that defends the county in the event of a lawsuit.

Farmers Insurance Media Relations Director Luis Sahagun declined to comment further on the suit but offered a statement via email.

“Farmers has taken what we believe is the necessary action to recover payments made on behalf of our customers, for damages caused by what we believe to be a completely preventable issue, as well as prevent it from happening again,” he said.